Taking A New Direction
by Ziva- Zia- Z
Summary: A new director, new team leaders, a new change of direction in the old history of NCIS. Established McGiva. AU.
1. Chapter 1

****Taking A New Direction ****

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****Summary: A new director, new team leaders, a new change of direction in the old history of NCIS. Established McGiva. AU.****

****A/N: Okay, am I the only one that thinks that McGee would be the _perfect_ choice to take the director's office when the time comes? What if that _actually_ happened? How would the rest of the team take it? How would the agency change? And more importantly, how would their relationships change? ****

****A/N: This was _originally_ supposed to be the plot for the_ You Are My Home_ series, but I wasn't happy with it then. I knew it'd come in handy someday. ****

He kissed her gently, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. He buried his face in her curls, nudging his nose against her neck as he pressed another kiss to her skin. She giggled, turning to look at him, a sleepy smile tugging at her lips. "Go back to sleep, _ahvuti_. It is still early, yet." He pushed himself up to check the time on the clock.

Oh-three-hundred.

He had two hours- hell, make it three, before he had to even consider getting up and getting ready for work. As he lay back among the pillows, she shifted, moving closer and pressing her soft body to his. Her arms went around his neck, and stared into his eyes. "What are you thinking, _motek_?" She whispered, her soft voice tenderly caressing her nickname for him.

"I think I'm gonna go in about oh-five-hundred. Get some things done before everyone arrives at-"

"Oh-seven-hundred." She finished, nodding. "Understandable. But until it is time for us both to get up, go back to sleep. It is going to be a long day, after all." She had already shifted back around and was yawning, her words becoming slower as she let sleep pull her back under. He chuckled, gently brushing the curls off her face before kissing her temple and wrapping his arms around her. But sleep, while it took her back under, refused him entry, and he soon got up, heading into the bathroom and starting the shower before stepping under the warm spray. Soon, though, he felt slender yet strong arms wrap around him from behind. He glance over his shoulder at her.

"I thought you were going to sleep a little longer." She shrugged, hands moving up to gently caress his pecs with her soft fingers. Sure, she had loved it when he was slightly chubby but now, with that trainer... well, she couldn't keep her hands off him, though she tried when they weren't alone.

"I was, but then you got up. The bed gets cold awfully fast, you know." She nipped gently at his ear, and he chuckled. "So, since you refuse to sleep, and I do not like to sleep without you there, what do you say we start the day off right?"

* * *

><p>They arrived at NCIS a little after oh-five-hundred, steaming cups of coffee in their hands. He cracked his neck quickly, wrinkling his nose at the aggravation the tie caused, and as they stepped out of the elevator, he quickly undid it and pulled it off, wadding it up and stuffing the annoying article of clothing into his coat pocket. She stopped at the entrance to the bullpen, watching him. He met her gaze, confusion flitting through his green eyes briefly. "What's wrong?" She shook her head.<p>

"Nothing." Then, she leaned over, pressing a kiss to his lips before he moved away and headed towards the stairs leading to the catwalk. She made her way to her desk, setting her things down before turning to watch as he moved down the catwalk towards the director's office. She gave him a proud smile, one he returned, before disappearing through the door.

Today was his first day as acting director of NCIS.

Once she had turned on her computer and gotten everything set up for the day, she got up, moving silently through the still quiet building- for it was only forty minutes past five- and headed for the stairs leading to the catwalk and the director's office. She stepped into the small ante office, and finding that it was empty, for his assistant, Nora, hadn't arrived yet, and so she moved quickly to the other door and knocked once softly, before opening the door and slipping inside.

She found her fiancé standing with his back to her, staring out the window, lost in thought. He stood behind the beautiful desk that Gibbs had made for him, in honor of becoming Director. The last remaining slabs of that wood, Gibbs had planned, was to be used to build a crib for when their first child came. Not surprisingly, Gibbs had made the majority of hardwood appliances in their home; the dining room table had been lovingly carved by the former Marine, from Mora wood from Guatemala; the bedroom set in the master had been made from black and white Ebony from southeast Asia, a perfect representation of the young couple soon to spend their lives together. Her gaze moved to the desk before her; the beautiful spalted Tamarind was a wonderful addition to the office; it fit the man she loved perfectly. Layer upon layer of black, ivory and yellow made for a gorgeous portrait upon the wood, and slowly, she reached out, running her fingers over it.

"What do you need, Ziva?" He asked softly, not taking his gaze off the darkened sky outside. She stopped, head snapping up as she pulled her hand away.

"How did you know it was me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and moved around the desk towards him. Finally, he turned to her.

"I know you, Zi. How could I not? You're my-" He stopped, reminding himself that he would soon get to use that term for her, but not today. "my fiancée." He reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She chuckled, reaching up to cradle his face in her hands.

"What is it, _motek_?" She whispered softly, searching his green eyes. He sighed.

"I just... I'm nervous." He pulled away from her and turned to the desk, running his hands over the soft wood. She laid a hand on his shoulder, understanding.

"Because it is your first day as acting director." He nodded. "I see." She moved beside him, gently moving his coffee aside and perching on the edge, tilting his head up to meet her gaze. "Talk to me, Tim."

"What if everyone realizes that I'm not cut out to be director?" She sighed deeply, thinking.

"Timothy, if you were not cut out for the job, you would not have received the job. Vance would not have stepped down after Jackie and my father's deaths if he did not feel that you were the best fit for the directorship. Neither he nor Gibbs would have groomed you for the position if they did not think you could do it." When he went to shake his head, she reached up, taking his face in her hands and holding it still to look into his eyes. "I believe in you, Tim. We all believe in you, now you just need to believe in yourself." He sighed, rolling his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her sweetly.

They were so lost in their own small world that neither heard the door to the office open, and only looked up when Nora stammered an apology. "I... I am so... so sorry... Sp... Special Agent David... Di... Director McGee... I... I didn't know you were..." Tim chuckled softly, as Ziva blushed and buried her face in his shoulder, never releasing his face.

"It's all right, Nora, please, come in." The young woman scampered inside, holding the files out to Tim with shaking hands. He gave her a reassuring smile as he took them, setting them on the desk, asking, "What are these for, exactly?" Nora swallowed, glancing at Ziva. She had only heard stories about the exotic Israeli, and the stories scared her.

"The... the files for the new agents that Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo and..." Her eyes shot to Ziva, before she whispered, "David, are supposed to choose from." Tim nodded, remembering Ziva mentioning something about needing to pick her own team members now that she was leader of her own team. Since Vance had stepped down, there had been some major changes coming to NCIS; first and foremost being the MCRT.

With Tim leaving the team to take the director's position, Gibbs saw the shift in power as the perfect opportunity to give his two remaining agents teams of their own, and had even agreed to take in new recruits and train them, as long as he remained team leader- something Tony, Ziva and Tim had been adamant about. And so Tony and Ziva, now both Team Leaders- at Gibbs' insistence that Ziva was ready to lead her own team, for she'd watched and learned carefully under both Tony and Tim, despite her only three and a half years as an agent- had to go through the task of choosing their teammates, under Tim's watchful eye.

He looked up from the files, watching as Nora shifted nervously from side to side. Deciding to take pity on the nervous young woman, he nodded that it was fine for her to return to her desk. "Oh, Nora?"

"Yes, Director?" Tim stopped, forgetting briefly that she was addressing him. Ziva's gentle slap of his cheek forced him to remember, and he turned back to his assistant.

"Go out and make a quick coffee run." She nodded, heading for the door.

"What would you like, Director? Agent David?" He shook his head, meeting Ziva's eye.

"None for us, thank you. For you. You'll need the caffeine fix today." She gave him a grateful smile before disappearing. Without saying a word, Ziva pressed a kiss to his lips. Then, she pushed the files aside, checking the time. They still had a few minutes before others began to arrive to start the workday, and perched lightly on the desktop. Wrapping her arms loosely around his neck, she searched his eyes, saying,

"See? You are already starting to be a wonderful director." He gave her a small smile. "Now, where were we?"


	2. Chapter 2

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****A/N: I actually went back and redid the first three chapters of this after deciding it wouldn't be part of the _YAMH_ universe. I think I have it figured out, well, at least the first three chapters, anyway. ****

****Thanks to Sazzita, mcgeeksgirl, Reader and earthdragon for reviewing 1.****

He sighed, glancing through the files before sitting back and taking a deep breath.

When it came to the MCRT, Tim had turned to Vance for guidance; surprisingly the first suggestion Tim had offered had been to have Gibbs retire, but Vance had stopped him, saying that the former Marine was the best choice to train new recruits, turning them from green rookies to strong Agents.

_"Look at yourself, Director McGee. You're proof of what Gibbs can do when he sets his mind too it."_

Vance was right, of course. And the first thing McGee had done- before he'd even been sworn in, was gather his old team together and set the rules down in soft paper and hard ink. All had listened, and after some conversation between Gibbs and Vance, the two men had approached McGee about assigning teams to Ziva and Tony. He would be director after all. McGee had thought it over, and after some major consideration, a good, long talk with Ziva- who informed her fiancé that she would support him with whatever decision he made and that she would _only_ accept her own team if she proved to_ Tim_ that she deserved it by earning it- and a meeting with both Vance and former Director Morrow, he had decided that both Tony and Ziva had earned the right to their own teams.

_"Everyone can see that they've both earned the rights to their teams. Agent DiNozzo has grown up quite a deal since he started, and Agent David... she earned it long ago. Do not look at me like that, Director McGee, just because I've moved on, doesn't mean I haven't been watching my former agents carefully. You've all proved your worth, and you all deserve to start fresh."_

_"But what of Agent Gibbs? Director McGee has suggested the old man retire-"_

_"And should he, Leon?"_

_"Honestly, Tom, and I hate to say it- and if Gibbs ever hears this, you're both dead- despite his unconventional methods, he's one of the best Team Leaders we have. Tim is one of Gibbs', after all. And I know for a fact, that Gibbs has groomed Tim for the Director's position from the moment he joined the team. As have I-"_

_"We've all had a hand in making sure Director McGee was the best for the job, Leon, but it is Tim's decision. He knows Gibbs best. What do you say, Tim? It's entirely your decision." _

_"Agents David and DiNozzo are more than ready to lead their own teams without Agent Gibbs holding their hands, Director Morrow. Whether they sink or swim is entirely up to them. I think we all agree on that front."_

_"And as for Agent Gibbs, Tim?"_

He shook his head, remembering how both men had waited for him to crack the whip and say that Gibbs was done, that his last paycheck would be signed in two weeks, and that he could return to Mexico to enjoy his retirement. Of the three, both Morrow and Vance had no idea whether McGee would do a complete purge of the agency and let his former team go, and both were pleasantly surprised when he didn't. No, Tim's purge of the agency would be slow and calculated, like everything in his life. He would slowly, over time, retire those he knew were on their last leg, making way for a new era of NCIS. And both former directors weren't too proud to admit that they were proud of him.

_"... Leroy Jethro Gibbs may keep his place as Team Leader, but he will no longer be head of the only MCRT. There will be three major MCRT teams, and they will work in rotation with each other, so that one team does not take the brunt of everything, and others can pick up the slack. I can tell you both, gentlemen, that more than once, were we all run ragged because we were the only team on rotation taking the major cases one after another. Sometimes four or five a week when we weren't off, seven or eight when we _were_ off. With three MCRTs, there will be less room for error and more room for accuracy._ _The various tragedies NCIS has endured in the last decade will_ not_ happen again, I can assure you. I won't allow it. This is _my_ agency now; my first priority is to the teams under my watch. Once I get them settled, then I will turn my attention to the dangers they face outside those hideous tangerine walls. They are all three to pick their SFAs and junior agents starting the day I start as Director."_

Both men had chuckled at that, and Vance had nodded his agreement._ "I wished to God they would have painted those walls something else, anything else but orange."_

_"It's like living inside a tangerine, Leon."_

_"I agree, Tim, believe me, I couldn't agree more." _

He leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk as his own words rang in his head.

_My agency. This is _my_ agency now._

Just as he reached for the first file, Nora's voice came over the phone's speaker. "Director McGee, Special Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo and David are here to see you." He closed the file.

"Send them in, Nora." When he looked up, the former members of his team stepped into the room, standing at attention at his desk. Ziva gave him a big smile, twisting the engagement ring on her finger playfully; the spark of his grandmother's diamond caught the light from the rising sun, and he returned the smile with a soft nod. Tony chuckled softly, pride swelling in his chest at the sight of his probie sitting behind the desk Gibbs had made for him. They had all been there the day McGee was sworn in, and all had been proud of their former teammate. Gibbs was silent, blue eyes lighting at the sight of his youngest settled behind the desk. His own words rang in his head, as he thought back to the night before Tim had been sworn in as Director.

_"You listen to me, Tim, you are going to do great things with this agency. You are going to take NCIS into an era like it's never seen before. You are going to guide this civilian agency in a new path. You are the change this agency needs; it's been stuck in the past for too long, and it's up to you to change that. And you will, son. And I have never been more proud of you."_

Now, Gibbs lifted his head, taking in his youngest. Despite what everyone thought, Gibbs was never more proud of one of his agents than he was now, to see Tim, bringing the agency into a new era, a new change that it desperately needed. Morrow, Shepard, Vance, they were all stuck in the past; Tim would be the future. A moment passed before Tim spoke. He set a stack of files in front of them.

"I have new recruits, that are going to need to be placed in teams. As the three Team Leaders of my major MCRTs, it's up to you to choose your members, but first, you need to work with them. We have a group of rookies downstairs in the bullpen, awaiting guidance and mentoring. It's going to be up to you three to do that. I'm no longer an agent, but I will be watching closely. Any problems I see, and you will answer to _me_. Understood?" All three nodded. "Good. Now..."


	3. Chapter 3

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****A/N: This is AU, remember? ****

****Thanks to Reader and JonnyP86 for reviewing 2.****

Once the three were gone, Tim started looking through the files. It had been fairly quick, handing out the agents the three leaders would take under their wings and work with. He quickly eliminated several, before turning to the next folder atop the quickly shrinking pile. As he opened the file, something struck him as familiar.

_Zachary Tanner._

Why did that name sound so familiar? He sat back, trying to think of why the name seemed to ring a bell-

Suddenly, he remembered why. One of the cases they worked had dealt with Zach Tanner's father being taken and held hostage in order for a group of terrorists to get a code that could break every encryption the U.S. had. He thought back; Zach had been about eight, nine. It had been fairly obvious that the child was a genius, he reminded Tim of himself at that age. A moment passed, before he pressed the button on his phone. "Nora?"

"Yes Director?"

"Send Agent David up here, please." Within minutes, Ziva was stepping through the door, waiting silently for him to speak. He thought a moment, before closing and holding out the folder to her. She took it, opening the file and seeing the photograph. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at Tim.

"This... this is..." He nodded.

"I know. And I know that I only assigned you two, but I want you to take Agent Tanner as well." Ziva looked up at him, seeing the flash in his green eyes. He saw himself in Zach; Tim also had been a child genius, graduating high school at fifteen and going to MIT, being the first in his family to graduate with a degree by seventeen before going to John Hopkins.

"But he is... nineteen, twenty at most-"

"I know, Agent David." She nodded, understanding. Finally, she left, casting one last glance over her shoulder, the file tucked beneath her arm.

* * *

><p>By the time oh-ten-hundred rolled around, Tim had sorted out the files, placing them in two stacks, ones recommended, one not. He reached for the last file, opening it to a surprise. No, this couldn't be right. But as he read the name again, he knew it was correct.<p>

_Cassandra Watson._

Yes, he remembered Sandy Watson, the young piano prodigy. It was one of the first cases he worked under Gibbs. She and her mother had been kidnapped and held hostage. Oh, and to top it off, Sandy was blind. He sighed; there was no possible way he could assign her to a team. She couldn't see, for one. Sure, she got along fine without it, but _still_...

A moment passed, before he got up, taking Sandy's file with him. Everyone looked up as Tim stepped onto the catwalk. Rookies and hardened agents alike, all stood at attention as the new director came down the stairs. He caught sight of his former teammates and nodded to them all before continuing down the stairs. Without a word to any of his teams, he headed towards the MTAC, shutting the door behind him. Once within the dimly lit space, he went to one of the techs, asking for someone to pull up the Norfolk Office. "Ah, Agent McGee, congratulations on making Director."

"Thank you, Sir. But I didn't come down to chat." He replied, adjusting the microphone headset.

"Of course not, what can I do for you?" Tim watched Jason Wilkes, the head of the Norfolk Office. He himself had served under Wilkes for years before being transferred to D.C., and he respected the man a great deal. Silent, he held up Sandy Watson's file. He didn't know why this file disturbed him more than Zach Tanner's, but it did, and he needed to get it sorted out before he got anything else done.

"Cassandra Watson. I understand you approved her transfer to D.C."

"Yes I did, Director."

"You are aware the she is blind, Special Agent Wilkes?" The other man nodded, watching the younger man carefully.

"Yes, I am very aware. And when she applied to become an agent, we agreed, because she is one of the best in her the technological world today. She reminds me a lot of you." He chuckled softly. "She has spent the majority of her time creating codes that help us find terrorists and catch killers. She's a whiz at a computer-"

Tim cleared his throat. He set the file down on the back of a chair and started to pace. "Yes, I remember. I met her as a child; she was the first major case I worked under Gibbs; sweet kid, resourceful, brilliant, but..." Tim sighed. "Eventually, all that resourcefulness will get you into a problem you can't get out of, and the agency cannot afford-"

"She requested, Tim." The young director's eyebrows rose.

"I'm sorry? Requested?" Wilkes nodded.

"Yes, when she found out you were the new director, she asked for a transfer. She wants to work at the main office, under your guidance. She fells that you and the other agents that helped save her mother can teach her how to be a good agent. Agent DiNozzo, Agent Gibbs, Agent Todd-"

"Agent Todd is dead, Jason." Tim whispered, thinking back to the day Kate's life was stolen from her, thanks to a bullet's kiss. The other man nodded.

"I know, Tim. And so does Sandy. But she wants to work at the main office, for you. She'd adamant about it."

* * *

><p>"Director? Agent Watson is here." Tim looked up at the voice on the phone, closing Sandy's file. He nodded, taking a deep breath.<p>

"Send her in, Nora, please." Within minutes, the door opened and a young woman, no more than nineteen or twenty entered. Tim stood, going around his desk towards her. "Welcome, Agent Watson, I am-"

"I know who you are, Director McGee. I remember you; you were an agent before you became director." Tim blushed, nodding.

"Please, sit." He led her to the sofa in the corner of the room, taking a seat beside her. A moment passed, as he sighed. "Cassandra, you understand that one of the qaulifications to be an NCIS Agent is to have-"

"Vision correctable to twenty-twenty with normal color vision, Director McGee, I know." She replied. He swallowed,

"So how did you-"

"I passed all the other requirements, Director, and they have had me at a desk the majority of my career. I have a special keyboard in braille." She took a deep breath. "I do not want to be in Norfolk anymore. Even though I am not qualified to be a field agent because I have no sight, does not mean I cannot be of use to the agency. I can see things others cannot. I have worked hard to get here, Director McGee, please. Give me a chance." Tim sighed, before getting up and going to his desk. He grabbed the phone, dialing a number, waiting.

"Hello, Leon? Yes... listen, I have something to ask you... no, no... I... I need some advice... about..." He glanced at Sandy, who sat patiently, waiting for Tim to decide her fate. "About Cassandra Watson. She's requested a transfer to D.C., and... uh-huh... no, Leon, it's more complicated than that... she's blind."


	4. Chapter 4

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****A/N: Actually, now that I go back and look through the folder I had for this one, I actually rewrote chapters 1 thru_ 10_... ****

All he wanted was to climb back into bed and sleep; after the... the Cassandra Watson problem- of which Leon had advised him to place her under Gibbs' care, especially when the older man found out who she was- all Tim wanted was to be home with Ziva, cooking dinner or making love in the living room with the blinds haphazardly pulled. Taking a deep breath, he got up, slipping out of his office and heading towards the catwalk.

Leaning against the rail, he watched as the three leaders of his MCRTs got acquainted with the rookie agents he had assigned them. He could see Gibbs talking to a petite blonde that, if Tim remembered, was Ellie Bishop, a transfer from NSA, who had originally applied for NCIS before taking the job with the "puzzle freaks" as Tony had so aptly called NSA office once. Two bullpens over, Tony was shaking hands with a thin, lithe brunette named Delilah Fielding. And in the middle bullpen, he could see Ziva introducing herself to the three rookies she'd been assigned: Zach Tanner, a former Marine that Tim knew too well, Damon Werth, and a young woman named Caroline Martinez.

A moment passed in silence as he watched his teams get to know each other; he didn't look up as he heard the ding of the elevator doors open. He soon felt a familiar presence beside him, and sighed. "Hey Ducky."

"Ah, Timothy, how has your first day as acting director gone so far?" The wily M.E. asked as he joined the young man he'd watched go from green rookie to the highest position in NCIS. Tim chuckled softly.

"There have been a few bumps, but you know, it hasn't been that bad so far." He replied, glancing at Ducky. A moment passed, before he caught sight of the bottle the older man held in his hands. "What's that for?" It was then that Ducky held out the bottle with a flourish.

"A bottle of one of the finest red wines in the world. A nineteen-seventy-two Nebbiolo. It was in Mother's wine cellar. When you were sworn in yesterday, I knew that this would be the perfect gift for you to celebrate your accomplishment." Tim gave the older man a warm smile, truly touched as he accepted the bottle. "Be sure the share that with your lovely fiancée, Timothy. I'll not have Ziva coming down to Autopsy to complain that you held out on her." He chuckled softly, glancing back down at the bullpens.

"I will, Ducky. I promise, I'll share it with her." A moment passed, before Ducky asked,

"So, how is everyone taking the new changes to the agency? I understand that you have created three MCRTs-" Tim nodded.

"And so far, it seems to be doing pretty good. Like I said, a few rough patches at the start of the day, but now, everything seems to be going well." He looked up, to find those in the bullpens watching him.

* * *

><p>Gibbs gave McGee a small smile. He'd watched Thomas Morrow stand at that catwalk, his smoking pipe held tight in his hand as he watched the teams work; he'd seen Jenny Shepard grasp the steel rails, her hazel eyes moving rapidly as she drank in every agent under her command; he'd often come into the bullpen to see Leon Vance standing behind the railing of the catwalk, a toothpick clutched within his teeth. And now, one of his kids stood on that catwalk, leaning on the railing, watching his agents get acquainted and settled into work.<p>

Which would Tim be? Would he clutch a pipe, like Morrow had, taking a puff when he was truly concentrating on someone? Or like Jenny, who would lean on the rail, fingers drumming out a rhythm as she studied and processed what each of her agents was doing? Or would he follow in Vance's footsteps, and stand back from the catwalk railing, toothpick tucked between his lips, as he surveyed his teams and their interactions?

It was too soon to tell who Tim would follow, or if he would forge his own path when it came to the catwalk. But after a moment, Ducky bid him a soft goodbye with a pat on the shoulder, and returned to Autopsy. Agent Watson asked him a question, and he turned away from his study to answer her, and when he turned back, Tim was gone.

* * *

><p>Once the door was closed behind him, Tim set the bottle of wine on the serving board that sat on the opposite wall, across from his desk. Then, he turned to the window, drinking in the sight before him. He didn't get to enjoy it long, as Nora's voice over the speaker interrupted him. "Director, the Secretary of the Navy is on the phone for you." Tim sighed; this day would never end.<p>

"Thank you, Nora. Patch him through." Soon, Clayton Jarvis's voice came through, and Tim had to force himself to play nice. He'd become most acquainted with the older man when he was still under Gibbs' watchful gaze as an agent, and he'd learned to take everything the man said with a grain of salt. He'd watched as Vance and Shepard both had come to blows with him- both _before_ he became the Secretary of the Navy and after- and had picked up covertly how to deal with the older man.

"Congratulations, Director McGee on the promotion." Jarvis's gravely voice came over the speaker, and Tim forced himself to swallow the insult he felt rising in his throat. "I hope there hasn't been too much commotion regarding your swearing in."

"No, none, Sir." He replied, swallowing thickly. He itched badly to end the call. Taking a deep breath, he sat back in his chair and asked, "What can I do for you, Sir?"

Silence met him for a moment, before Jarvis continued.


	5. Chapter 5

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****A/N: This will actually follow Tim's first week or so as Director. ****

"I will see you all tomorrow at oh-seven-hundred. Have a good night." As the rookies all bid their goodnights to Ziva, Tony wandered into her bullpen, having dismissed his team twenty minutes earlier; Gibbs' new recruits were released twenty minutes later. Once they were all gone, the three former MCRT members gathered in Gibbs' bullpen. Ziva perched on the edge of the desk that had, until Tim's swearing in, been hers. Tony took a seat in the chair that had been his, and both turned to look at the desk in the far corner, the desk that had once belonged to Tim, and now belonged to Sandy.

It had been a trying day; they had rotated the case they'd been given, each team taking a portion of the work, to see how well their new recruits faired under pressure, so they would have something to tell Tim when they handed the files back in. Without a word, Gibbs got up from his desk, the files of the new agents in his hands, he beckoned the other two, and they followed, heading up the stairs to the director's office.

Nora looked up when they entered her office, and she quickly pressed the button. "Um, D... Director McGee... Agent... Agents..."

"I'm well aware of who's making their way into my office, Nora, thank you." The woman blushed as she realized that he had left his door open as day turned to night.

"Shall... shall I... I'll send them..." Tim sighed, turning back to whatever he was working on, as Nora came to the open door.

"Go home, Nora. Take a hot shower and try to relax." Nora bit her lip.

"Are... are you sure..."

"We can't have these stuttering conversations every day, Nora. You have_ got_ to learn to relax. So go home and relax. Spend some time with your daughter, ask her about her day." Nora stopped, surprised that Tim knew about the blonde child in the pink tutu, but then again, she did have a photo of the six-year-old on her desk, so. A moment passed before the woman bid him goodnight, and then gathered her things and rushed from the office. Tim chuckled softly, as Gibbs, Ziva and Tony entered the office.

"Here are the files on the new agents you asked for, Director." Ziva said, laying her pile on his desk as Tim looked up from the paperwork he was going through. He picked up the top file, opening it to read through the assessment Ziva had done.

"So I take it you want Tanner on your team, Agent David?" Ziva nodded, fighting the urge to move around his desk and perch on the edge, like she often did at home. "Very well. And Agent Werth?" He glanced at his fiancée as she kept quiet. Finally, she nodded. "And Agent Martinez?"

"It is not that she is not a good agent, it is just that she is too... she does not look at the whole facts before getting the picture. She jumps into things-"

"Look at the picture before getting the facts, Ziva. You've been doing good and now you have to go and revert back." Tony muttered, only to have Gibbs's hand connect lightly with his head. Tony glanced at McGee, who nodded.

"You did deserve it, Agent DiNozzo." Tim chuckled as Tony rubbed his head. He turned back to Ziva, who huffed.

"I know it is rude to not want her on my team, but-" Tim held up a hand.

"Agent David, it's understandable. I was hesitant to assign her to your team, because she doesn't have the background for it, schooling-wise. Is there anyone else you were interested in adding to your team instead?" When she didn't reply after several minutes, he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. One. Delilah Fielding. She has the exact requirements my team will need." Though she didn't elaborate on the skills Fielding had, Tim knew, for he'd read the file before giving it to her.

_"What?"_ Both Tim and Ziva winced as Tony's voice cracked. "No way! I'm sorry, Agent David, but I've already claimed her! She's a good fit for my team!"

"For your team or for _you_, Agent DiNozzo?" Tim asked, sitting back in his chair and steeping his hands. Tony started, surprised to hear such a harsh tone come from his probie. He blinked, mouth hanging open as he met Tim's gaze.

* * *

><p>Gibbs couldn't keep the pride from swelling in his chest at how Tim had handled Tony's response. Even though the man had matured, he was still the prankster of the three, and no one, not even Gibbs, could remove that from him. After Tim reviewed both Ziva and Tony's suggestions for their teams, he handed over his. Tim shook his head, chuckling softly as he read the one word written on Sandy Watson's file.<p>

Mine.

A moment passed, before Tim thought back to when he'd gotten his transfer notice from Norfolk; Gibbs had said the same to him. And it was true. He, Tony, Ziva, they were all Gibbs' kids. And so would Sandy and the other two. They would soon learn, that when it came to his agents, his kids, that Gibbs had quite a Papa Bear complex, and that he saw it as his duty to protect his kids.

When the last file was looked over, Tim looked up at the three. He nodded once. "Very well. These are your teams." As Tony and Ziva moved to head back down and gather their things, Tim's voice stopped them. "Agent DiNozzo, Agent David?" They turned back. "I'm giving you both a very big chance here. Don't screw it up."

All Gibbs could do was chuckle at the startled looks on their faces.


	6. Chapter 6

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****Thanks to Reader for reviewing 3, 4 and 5; Sazzita for reviewing 4; JonnyP86 and jar for reviewing 5.****

The smell of cooking tomato sauce filled the apartment, and he silently shut the door, making his way into the kitchen. She stood at the stove, stirring the sauce, humming a tune softly to herself. Silently, he slid his arms around her waist when he got close, pressing a kiss to her neck. She giggled as he nudged his nose against her neck, moving up to kiss the shell of her ear. "I would have waited for you, you know." She glanced at him over her shoulder. He shook his head.

"I was fine, just making sure everything was in order before I left. That smells delicious. It should go wonderfully with the wine Ducky gave me today." Her eyebrow rose and she turned to look at him.

"As a congratulations for making Director?" He nodded. She removed the spoon from the sauce and set it down, turning and reaching out to take the bottle. Tim held it briefly out of reach before handing it to her and kissing her deeply before pulling away and grabbing two glasses from the cupboard. She studied the bottle, reading the words softly. "Red wine?" He nodded. "Ducky knows us so well, doesn't he?" She teased, quickly removing the cork and pouring a bit into each glass. As they clinked glasses and tasted it, he added,

"Ducky also told me that if I didn't share it with you, he wouldn't be held responsible for whatever you do to me." She laughed softly, grinning.

"Yes, well, I will be sure to let Ducky know that the wine is wonderful." She set the glass down and grabbed the spaghetti strainer, quickly draining the pasta before adding it to the bowl and mixing the sauce into it. Once they were seated and eating, Tim glanced at her.

"Secretary Jarvis called today." Ziva raised an eyebrow, one slender strand of pasta dangling from between her lips. He chuckled softly at the sight, wishing he'd had a camera to capture the moment. All too soon, the pasta was gone, and she was licking her lips.

"What did he want?" Tim sighed, swallowing the bite before responding.

"Well, aside from the congratulations, he said something about wanting to discuss budget cuts regarding some of the agencies and offices. Said that... since NCIS is now under my control, that the agents working beneath me answer to him-"

"That-" He held up a hand, silencing her.

"And that we need to discuss military protocols for the upcoming war, or... something like that. I don't really know; I wasn't exactly listening." Ziva chuckled softly. "He's convinced that my taking over the agency is going to start a war or some such nonsense," He didn't miss the eyebrow Ziva raised in confusion. "Personally, Zi, I'm thinking the old man is slipping in his old age." She chuckled softly. "He also said that while Vance may have appointed me, NCIS is his agency, and if I do anything to screw up, it'll be my head on a silver platter."

She narrowed her eyes; she knew that everyone- from the other alphabet agencies to the other offices- was uneasy about working with a new NCIS director, but Jarvis... Jarvis was something else entirely. A bastard to absolute extremes, the man had an ego that refused to quit, and when he set his mind to something, he usually got it. The man could make or break careers, destroy them in one wave of his hand if he felt like it. But so could the Director of NCIS, just on a smaller scale. It was Vance, Shepard, Tim, that could end a career at NCIS if they so chose. Occasionally, Shepard and Vance had. As for Tim? Ziva knew that he could, the question though was, would he?

"What did you say?" He shrugged.

"I told him that NCIS isn't his agency, it's mine. I am the director; I am the one that makes the decisions and handles the mistakes made and takes care of my people. That I didn't need him to work me like he did Morrow and Shepard and Vance. I'm_ not_ his puppet. That the only one working the marionette strings around NCIS is_ me_." She smiled, proud of the confidence in his voice. Quickly, she got up, moving towards him and taking his face in her hands. She let out a little squeal, pressing a firm kiss to his lips before returning to her seat, giggling. Tim chuckled softly, shaking his head as she winked at him.

* * *

><p>They arrived at work together, spending a few precious moments together in his office before oh-five-hundred rolled around. Technically, work started at oh-seven-hundred, but it wasn't a surprise to find the director and the Team Leader of one of his MCRTs at the building two hours early. Ziva perched on the sofa, coffee in hand, watching with silent delight as Tim settled back in his chair behind the desk and sighed with relief. Even though the workday had yet to begin, he still felt a weight lift from his shoulders that the first day was over with.<p>

"It suits you." He looked up, finding Ziva watching him with that Mossad training of hers. "This office, this position, it suits you. You were meant to be director, Tim. Do not ever think that you weren't." He gave her a soft smile, sitting up and holding out a hand for her. She got up, going to him, taking his hand as he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he asked,

"Are you ready to go out into the field, Agent David?" She turned to look at him.

"We were out in the field yesterday."

"I know, but I mean your team. Specifically. Your team takes the first rotation-"

"This weekend off?" He shook his head.

"No. The first major case that comes in, your team takes. The second major case that comes in, Tony's team takes. And the third-"

"Gibbs' team takes." She finished, understanding. "But won't that be confusing? Having three teams working on three different cases at the same time?"

"No. Because the more cases we get solved, the more families have a chance to bury their loved ones. The more loved ones buried, the lower the number of mistakes made. Your teams work in rotation, so there isn't argument about whose team gets what case."

"You have thought this all out, haven't you?" He nodded, tightening his arms around her. She rolled her eyes, chuckling softly. "Does that beautiful mind of yours ever stop working?" He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"No."


	7. Chapter 7

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****A/N: Time for Ziva and her team to _officially_ be out in the field...****

****Thanks to Reader for reviewing 6.****

Just like Tim said, the first case that came in- a murdered Petty Officer at a park in Silver Spring- went to Ziva and her team. As she led her team to the elevator, Tony was already there, gear and team in hand. Gibbs stood at the entrance to his bullpen, but had instructed his team to stay seated. He and the others watched the two former partners in a standoff in front of the elevator. A moment passed, before Gibbs looked back, finding Tim standing on the catwalk, leaning against the rail, a cup of coffee in his hands. Slowly, everyone else- except the two team leaders- turned to find the director watching, and after several tense moments of silence, Tony reached out and pressed the button for the elevator.

And then stepped back, allowing Ziva and her team to step into the elevator and take the first case.

As the elevator doors closed behind Ziva and her agents, Tony nodded for his team to return to their desks. As he took a seat at his own, he glanced up, catching Tim's eye. The young director gave him a slight nod and raised his cup in salute before taking a sip. Tony returned the smile, watching in silence as Tim returned to his office.

* * *

><p>Tim itched to go down to the lab like he'd done as an agent, but he knew, that as Director he couldn't, not like he wanted. So instead, he called Nora.<p>

"Yes, Director?"

"Send Miss Scuito up, please." Within minutes, Abby's platforms were pounding on the carpet, and the door opened.

_"Timmy!"_ She moved to rush around the desk, but Tim stopped her with a shake of her head. She pouted, "But... but I always..."

"No, Abby. Have a seat." Obediently, the Goth sat, confused as to why Tim was acting like they weren't best friends.

"Timmy, what's-" But he held up a hand, sitting down across from her.

"We need to discuss your workload in the lab."

"What-" She clamped her mouth shut, letting him speak.

"Now, I have each MCRT taking a case, so that we have three cases worked and solved by the end of the day. They'll work in rotation- so Agent David's team is currently out working the first case. When she and her team return with the evidence, you're to work that evidence first. When the other teams return from a case, you're to work that evidence."

"But how- sorry." She swallowed, waiting for him to speak.

"When you finish with the evidence from the first case, you are to take it down to Ducky, where they will have an area of Autopsy designated for each case's evidence. I have already talked to Ducky, and he's agreed that it's perfectly okay. There's a section of Autopsy that never gets used, and he's happy to see it be of use now. So as soon as you finish with one team's evidence, you take it down to Ducky. That way we reduce the number of mistakes made during open cases. Are we clear, Miss Scuito?" For the first time, Abby looked up at him, surprised to see someone other than her best friend sitting across from her. "Are we _clear_?"

She nodded. "Yes, Sir."

* * *

><p>"Ah, Ziva, taking the first shift, I see." Ziva looked up, as Ducky and Palmer made their way to the crime scene. She gave him a smile, stepping aside, to allow the two men to work.<p>

"Thank you for the wine, Ducky. It was wonderful to have with dinner last night." She whispered, giving the old M.E. a quick peck on the cheek. He chuckled.

"So Timothy shared it with you. Good." He then turned his attention to the young woman sprawled beneath a tree in the park. Pulling out the liver probe, he quickly slipped it within the body, leaving it to calculate while he checked the body. "Bruises on the outer edges of her neck, suggesting strangulation." He picked up one of the woman's hands, studying it. "She has several broken nails."

"Which means?" Delilah Fielding asked, looking up from the photographs she was taking.

"She fought her attacker." Ziva replied, as Ducky removed the liver probe.

"Correct, Ziva. And I can tell you that her time of death is between six and eight hours." He stood, turning to Jimmy. "Mr. Palmer, get the gurney. We'll take her back to Autopsy and start delving into the secrets of her final hours among the living." Once they were gone, Ziva turned back to the scene at hand. Fielding was still snapping photographs, as Tanner bagged and tagged, and Werth was interviewing witnesses. She sighed, putting her hands on her hips. So far, so good.

"The jogger that found her said that this is an unused jogging path in the park; not many use it."

"So it was an easy place to dump a body." Ziva said, turning back to the scene before her. Kneeling down, she picked up a wallet, flipping it open. "Well, we have a name, at least. Petty Officer Susanna Borden."

* * *

><p>When Ziva and her team returned to NCIS, she found both Tony and Gibbs' teams gone. Pushing down her confusion, and then remembering, she turned to her teammates. "Fielding, pull up all financial records for Petty Officer Borden, including all bank statements in the last twenty-four hours. Tanner, you find as much as you can on her life before the Navy, including anyone who might have a grudge against her." She turned to Werth, who was already pulling files on the woman's time in the Navy. Without a word, she headed down towards Autopsy.<p>

* * *

><p>Palmer looked up to see Ziva enter; she stopped near the autopsy table, waiting silently. "What do we know so far, Ducky?" She asked, please to see that they were nearly done with the body; though that could be because her team got a thirty minute head start by taking the first case. Neither Gibbs nor Tony's teams had returned from their scenes yet.<p>

"Ah, Ziva, I was wondering when you would come down." She gave him a smile, waiting. "Yes, our Petty Officer fought her attacker, there was extensive skin tissue beneath her broken nails, as well as evidence of a sexual assault. My best hypothesis would be that she was attacked in the park, assaulted, and then murdered. The only thing that doesn't make sense, is by who?"

"And then we found this." Palmer said, lifting up her other hand. Something was written on the soft flesh of her palm. Ziva moved closer, reading the words silently.

"'You'll regret leaving me.'" She turned to Ducky, just as the doors opened and Abby entered, carrying a box of freshly worked through evidence.

"Yes, I think- Ah, Abigail, please, over there." He turned back to Ziva. "I believe we are working on a case of unrequited love." Ziva turned, watching as Abby headed towards an unused part of Autopsy and placed the evidence she'd finished. A moment passed, before she chuckled. Only Tim. She turned back to Ducky.

"Thank you, Ducky." Then, without a word, she headed back up to the bullpen, where her team was waiting to present the evidence they'd found.


	8. Chapter 8

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****Thanks to JonnyP86, Reader, earthdragon and skyjadeprincess for reviewing 7.****

As she stepped back into her bullpen, she found Gibbs and his team returning; she hadn't realized that Ducky had sent Jimmy to Gibbs' scene not long after seeing her, and then Ducky went to Tony's team, who had yet to return. "What do we have?" She asked, turning to each of her team members. Agent Tanner stood, picking up the remote to the plasma. He pulled up the information he was able to find.

"Susanna Borden, age twenty-eight, born in Minnesota. An only child, she was basically a straight-A student from kindergarten on. Decided to enlist in the Navy after graduating high school. Was on leave to visit her parents. Other than that, not much. She's practically perfect in every way, Boss." Tanner said, as Ziva started, not yet used to being referred to as the Team Leader. She kept thinking that Gibbs would answer Tanner instead.

"Not quite." They turned as Werth joined them at the plasma, pulling up a record of some kind. "Petty Officer Borden was courts-martialed a few months ago, for sexual harassment." Ziva raised an eyebrow.

"Who was harassing her?"

"No one. _She_ was doing the harassing."

* * *

><p>"I still don't feel comfortable having Watson out here, Boss." Gibbs turned to Bishop; known for her habit of speaking before thinking, the young woman was brilliant, much like Tim was, but she had to learn quick that when it came to voicing your opinion, you would often get head slapped under Gibbs leadership.<p>

"I may not be able to see, Agent Bishop, but my hearing is perfectly intact, as are my other senses." Sandy replied, turning towards Bishop's voice. Gibbs chuckled softly at the shocked look on Bishop's face. The younger woman turned around slowly in a circle. "Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" A moment passed, before Sandy moved towards the car parked in the lot near the old coffee house. Gibbs and the other two agents moved towards the car, stopping behind the young woman as she knelt down and felt around beneath the car. Eventually, she pulled something out from under the car, holding it up. Gibbs leaned close. The smell of sulfur filled their noses, as he realized what it was.

"Who ever killed him rigged his car to explode, and it failed." He turned back to the new members of his team. Bishop was helping Watkins to her feet; once standing, she brushed the dirt off her pants, grinning.

"I told you, Agent Gibbs, just like I told Director McGee, my other senses make up for my absent sight." Gibbs chuckled, patting her head.

"You did good, kid."

* * *

><p>Tony looked up from his team going over the evidence to find Tim standing on the catwalk, a new cup of coffee in his hands. He raised an eyebrow, apparently his Probie had picked up a habit from Gibbs before entering the Director's office- finding mysterious ways to get coffee without anyone noticing him leaving the building. He shook his head, no Tim wasn't his probie anymore, he was the director of this agency- aw, damn it, Tim would always be Tony's probie. No one could take that away, no matter if Tim was director of NCIS or King of England.<p>

He chuckled as one of the guys from the evidence garage came up to talk to him. It didn't surprise him that he could feel Tim's green gaze on his back as he watched from his perch on the catwalk. A moment passed, before Tony stammered, "Um... I... I'm not sure. Maybe we should go ask the director-"

"Ask the Director what, Special Agent DiNozzo?" Tony jumped, turning to find Tim standing behind him.

"Um... ah... what... what..." He continued to stammer, prompting Tim to raise on eyebrow in amusement.

"What we're supposed to do with the vehicles and various things that come in to the evidence garage, Sir." The young man from Evidence asked, eyes darting to Tim's face before moving down to his shoes. "We... we have... we have three... the three MCRT cases and... how... how are we... supposed to... to separate them?"

Tim glanced at Tony, before turning back to the other man. "If- and only if- there are three vehicles or various other larger pieces in each case, separate them. We have partitions, use them to separate the evidence before you work on it. Once you've finished taking each piece apart, you can remove it and bring in the next piece. Be sure to send the evidence you've collected from the previous piece up to Ms. Scuito before you do so; that way, she can work on it and get it finished before taking it to the area in Autopsy I've designated for each case. Understood?" He nodded, before rushing off.

Once he was gone, Tony turned back to Tim. He gave the younger man a small smile, which Tim returned only briefly. "So, Probie-"

"Back to work, Agent DiNozzo." Tony stood there, surprise on his face as Tim turned and headed back up to his office, without so much as a glance back.

* * *

><p>The sight of the smooth curve of her exposed back made his heart race, and he silently slipped into the bedroom, removing his shirt as he went, and once he got close enough, he snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She leaned her head back, enjoying the feel of his lips on her neck. Eventually, though, he pulled away, reaching down to undo her jeans and shift them down her thighs. Her small hands reached down, covering his hands as his fingers trailed back up her skin, playing with the white lace on her boy shorts. She turned her head, nudging her nose against his, a smile on her face. He kissed her gently, whispering,<p>

"Tell me about your day, Zi. How is everything with your team?" She shook her head, nose brushing against his.

"No. No work talk. You belong to me tonight, Timothy." He brushed a kiss against her lips, gently pulling on her lower lip. Her dark eyes opened, meeting his emerald gaze. "Make love to me."


	9. Chapter 9

****Rifiuto: Non Miriena****

****Thanks to skyjadeprincess, mcgeeksgirl, JonnyP86 and Reader for reviewing 8.****

"I have a meeting with the COs of the various branches today, so I'll be down in MTAC most of the morning." She pouted, glancing over her shoulder at him as she grabbed a blouse from the closet and pulled it on. He wrapped an arm around her waist, gently brushing his fingers over her stomach.

"So lunch is out of the question?" He shrugged.

"Not necessarily. What were you thinking? Chinese?" She winced, pulling away to pull on her blouse.

"God no. I don't think my stomach could take it." He reached up, tilting her face back to his. He thought back; she'd been complaining for the last few weeks about her stomach and how she hadn't been able to keep much down.

"Zi, are you-" Her head snapped up.

_"Oh, God, no!"_ She turned, wrapping her arms around him. "_Motek_, you know I'm on birth control. And we've been really careful-"

"Accidents can happen, Zi." He whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead. She shook her head, laying her hands gently against his chest.

"Well, no accidents are going to happen, Timothy. We have been really careful. We are not going to have children until I am able to take your name; we agreed, remember? I do not want our child turning out like Ari-" He sighed, seeing the pain in her eyes when she mentioned her brother. She'd told him of the havoc her father's abandonment of Ari and his mother had wreaked on the young man's life. Sure, he'd been a wonderful brother to her and Tali growing up, but the fact that his father refused to acknowledge him had torn him to shreds inside. Ziva didn't want their children growing up with the same sense of self-loathing that Ari had; she was determined to keep any children they conceived from growing up without their father's name. A ridiculous fear, because Tim would never abandon a child of his, but still, it was a fear she held deep in the back of her mind. And so they played it safe, making to always use protection during sex.

"Hey, look at me." He took her face in his hands. "That will never happen. Any child we have... I will love them, just like I love you. They will _never_ lack for love in this house. I promise." Gently, he brushed a tear off her cheek, mouthing those three little words softly.

* * *

><p>"Director McGee, there's someone here to see you." Tim looked up from his work at the voice on the speaker, jarred from the reports he'd been going over. It was barely oh-six-hundred; who, besides the agents that came in early, would be there to see him. He sighed, dropping his pen and getting up. He pulled the door open, clearing his throat.<p>

"Yes, Nora, who-" A young woman stood in the office, her back to him. A moment passed, before she turned, her long brown hair held back with a white headband. She smiled at him.

"Hi Timmy. Or is it Mr. Director, now?" She grinned.

"Sarah." He went to her, wrapping his little sister in a tight hug, that she returned happily. "What are you doing here?" He asked, pulling away. She shrugged.

"I came to... to apply for an Agent position." Tim's eyebrows rose, and after a moment, he led his little sister into his office, guiding her to the sofa.

"I'm... Sarah... you're an English Lit major..." She nodded.

"I know."

"You're a writer."

"And so are you."

"In my spare time. My main job is-"

"Being Director of NCIS." She beamed proudly at him. "I know. And I also know that Agent Gibbs is short an agent-"

"But you haven't-"

"I've passed the FLECT, Timmy." She replied. He sighed, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands. Sarah swallowed. "I've applied for jobs in the English departments at several universities and colleges; I've gotten nowhere. No one with a teaching degree is getting work because the economy is so crappy. If I become a special agent, then I have a better chance at work. Please, Timmy. I may not be as brilliant as you, but I'm good in my own way, and I can help people, I can do good, I can-"

"Sarah, why Special Agent Gibbs? Why his team?"

"Because he helped solve my case when I was accused of murder, and I want to make it up to him. I want him to teach me, like he taught you." Tim sighed. A moment passed before he leaned over, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her temple before getting up. Going to his desk, he picked up the phone and quickly dialed a number.

"Hello... ah, Kayla, hi, it's Director McGee... I'm doing good, and you?... Glad to hear it... um, listen, can you put your dad on? I just have something to ask him... thanks, sweetie... ah, Leon, yes... listen I have a quick question..." He glanced at Sarah, who bit her lip. "Is there... any rule against hiring a sibling at NCIS? Why? Well... my little sister is here, and she has applied for a position as a Special Agent... yes she's... she's passed her FLECT and all the requirements needed..." Sarah watched in silent delight as Tim's face fell in surprise. "There... there isn't? Ah... no, I'm okay. Thank you."

"So?" Tim turned back to her as he hung up the phone. A moment passed as she got up, going to him. "When do I start?" He sighed, hanging his head briefly. Chuckling softly, he grabbed her elbow, dragging her from the office. "Geez, Timmy, no need to be so rough-" They stopped on the landing near the stairs; neither noticed as Gibbs, Tony and Ziva's teams- who had all arrived before oh-seven-hundred- stood watching them. "What?" She asked, before he dragged her down the stairs.

"Let's get one thing straight, Sarah Victoria." He said; the others were listening intently. Though he spoke softly, his former teammates gathered in their old bullpen, watching and listening. "It may be Timmy or Tim when we're at home with Mom and Dad or out having dinner with friends, but," By then, he'd pulled her down the rest of the stairs towards Gibbs's bullpen. "But on the job, when we are in NCIS HQ, it is Director McGee, or _Sir_. Are we clear?"

She glanced around at the others, grinning. Then, she grabbed the front of her brother's jacket and walked him back towards the wall, pressing him against it until the two siblings stood nose to nose. "As long as you're clear that I am not your little sister anymore. I'm an NCIS Special Agent. I don't need you checking up on me when I'm out in the field."

"And I don't need you calling Penny or Mom on me if I make a decision you don't approve of; like you used to do when we were kids. Are we clear, Sarah?" She met his gaze, before glancing at the others. Turning back to her older brother, she grinned.

"Crystal."


	10. Chapter 10

**Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

**A/N: A little update on Zani: I'm sure most of you know what happened and the struggle we've been having with her. But she's doing better. There was a brief period, a few weeks ago, where she stopped eating for no apparent reason (that we could figure out) and so consequently, she dropped fifty pounds. Mind you, my sister-in-law's only 115 lbs anyway, so for her, that's a drastic change. But she's started eating again, and though she's still not speaking vocally, she is starting to talk to us again through ASL; holding short conversations and the like, which is something we couldn't even get her to do six months ago. They're both minor steps towards improvement, but it is improvement. Continue to keep her and Ev in your thoughts, and thank you for all your support.- Licia**

**Thanks to JohnnyP86, Reader, JPElles, mark, mark gibbs, Saissa and Buddy5647 for reviewing 9. **

"She's my _sister_, Leon. She's my little sister."

The former director chuckled, watching as the younger man took a sip of his beer. The day had ended with a major blowup between Sarah and Gibbs- the woman couldn't keep her mouth shut- that had resulted in her being sent to Tim's office, more so Gibbs wouldn't kill her. Instead, Sarah got the scolding of her life from her brother, which resulted in its own screaming match between the siblings that had reached new heights when Sarah- Irish temper flaring- had stormed out of his office, accusing him of babying her. Tim of course, had followed, stopping her on the catwalk and whispering softly to her one simple phrase,

_"Is minic a bhris béal duine a shrón."_

_Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose._

Sarah had paled at the familiar saying, for their mother had often spoken it to them as children. Though American-born, their Mother was full Northern Irish- hailing from Belfast, a survivor of the Troubles in the seventies and eighties, who'd fled to America for university, and ended up staying, marrying John McGee three weeks after her twenty-first birthday. John, at twenty-three, had been a rising star in the Navy at the time, and the two had settled in Boston; despite what McGee often said, he'd actually been born in Boston- it was Sarah, born in Alameda, four years after Tim. Somehow, someway, their birthplaces had gotten switched- saying that Sarah was born in Boston and Tim in Alameda; over time, both siblings had accepted the switch, and even made jokes with each other in regards to their birthplaces.

"She'll be a good agent, Tim. You just need to give her a chance... well you do. Don't look at me like that."

"I think it's wonderful that Sarah has joined NCIS. It's always good to have family close by; besides, another McGee in the agency will do NCIS good." Tim rolled his eyes at Jackie- it wasn't uncommon for the two couples to get together for dinner; in fact, it was almost... required, it seemed, since Tim had taken over Leon's position. It had started out as an occasional dinner between the couples- celebrating Ziva's citizenship, or Vance's retirement; Kayla's birthday or Jared's winning the science fair- because both Ziva and Tim had become close with the Vance children over the years. And then, it'd progressed to weekends and then weekly.

Ziva joined the trio as they sat on the porch, slipping into Tim's lap and sliding an arm around his neck. She kissed his quickly as Leon chuckled and Jackie grinned at the young couple. When she pulled away, Tim held the bottle out to her; she glanced at the other couple, before slowly taking the offered drink with a shaky smile. "One sip could not hurt, right?"

"Why would it hurt, Zi?"

She shook her head. "No reason."

* * *

><p>"I think I know what's going on." The Israeli's head snapped up as Jackie joined her at the sink.<p>

"What are you talking about, Jackie?" The older woman raised an eyebrow, leaning against the counter and folding her arms.

"I wore the same apprehension, Ziva. 'One little sip' used to worry me too. Especially in the first few weeks."

The agent sighed, leaning against the counter, head down and eyes closed. "We have been so careful. And then... this morning... he told me, 'accidents can happen' and... I have spent all day worrying about it."

"How long have you been feeling this way?"

Ziva thought back, doing quick calculations in her head. "... four weeks, maybe five. But, there is no way-"

"Do_ you_ think there's no way?" Jackie watched a myriad of emotions flash across the normally stoic agent's face, and she realized that she'd struck a chord. "Ziva," She stepped closer, meeting the woman's gaze. "have you taken a test to be sure?" A quick shake of the head told her the truth. "Do you _have_ a test?" Another shake. "Okay. Go get your coat."

"What?"

"You heard me. Go get your coat. We'll make a quick run to the drug store. I'll go tell the boys that we have a quick errand to run." Then, without a word, she left the younger woman, heading back out to let Leon and Tim know.

* * *

><p>To say she felt uncomfortable, shopping with her former boss's wife for a test would be the understatement of the year.<p>

With so many to choose from, she had no idea where to start-

But Jackie did. "It's always good to have a couple instead of one, just in case of false positives."

She nodded, her gaze moving over the colorful boxes with the images of tests on them, the bold lettering reaching out to her- _First Response, e.p.t, To Life_- all making her head spin. What if she was? How would Tim react? How would _she_ react?

"Ziva." Her head snapped up, glancing briefly at the boxes that had been placed in the basket over Jackie's arm. "Come on, let's pay for these and get home so we can put your mind at rest. Don't think I can't see the wheels turning in your head."


	11. Chapter 11

**Rifiuto: Non Mirena**

**A/N: She said that at the beginning of this that she only wrote thru 10, but look what I found. Chapter 11, buried in her one-shots folder.- Licia**

_Pee on a stick. You have to pee on a stick. How sanitary is that? _

"You doing okay in there, Ziva? Honey?"

She sighed, getting up. After coming back from the pharmacy, Jackie had pushed her upstairs to the bathroom in the master bedroom, before heading out to let Tim and Leon know they got back. She'd then come upstairs with a pitcher of ice tea and a glass; after pouring some, she'd shoved the glass into Ziva's hands and instructed her to drink.

And Ziva had, but had yet to develop the courage to-

_Just pee on the damn stick already and get it over with._

Taking a deep breath, Ziva unlocked the bathroom door and met Jackie's gaze, ashamed. "Well?"

"I haven't- yet."

The older woman raised an eyebrow as she leaned against the doorway. "Do you want some more iced tea?"

Ziva rested her head against the door frame. "I cannot _drink_ anymore _iced tea_, Jackie. Unless I want my bladder to explode."

"Good. That's the feeling you want. Now go take the test." Ziva didn't move. "Ziva, unless you move, the only other option is to go to the doctor and have him do a basel test. Would you rather do that?"

That got the Israeli moving. She slipped back into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her silently.

* * *

><p>"We need to paint those walls." Leon chuckled. "I honestly don't see how I managed to survive staring at those tangerine monstrosities that make up the bullpens for so many years without losing my mind. They need to be a different color. The whole inside of that building needs to be a different color."<p>

"And what would you suggest, Tim?"

"Anything but orange, Leon."

"Hot pink?" The look of horror on the young director's face made him chuckle softly. "Blue then?" Tim wrinkled his nose. "Red?"

"Too domineering." Leon raised an eyebrow. "No... green." The eyebrow went higher, in an eerie imitation of Gibbs. "Green is a motivational color- it's strong, it promotes calm, it promotes security. It's everything NCIS stands for. And it's more motivational than tangerine."

"I take it you're familiar with the color."

Tim chuckled. "When your mother's from Ireland, green's a central color in your life. Just like St. Patrick and leprechauns."

"Your mom's Irish, Tim?"

The younger agent nodded. "Born in Belfast in 'fifty-six. Grew up in the Troubles; her cousin was Bobby Sands, the hunger striker that died in eighty-one. Michael Collins was her great-uncle and Maureen O'Hara was her second cousin once removed. She still makes _boxty_ and soda bread, still lays out settings at the table on Halloween for our deceased family members, and still has yet to find a good maker of Guinness here in the States. Mom's as Irish as you are African American, Leon." He took a sip of his drink, realizing what he'd said. "No offense."

But the older man waved it away. "None taken, Tim. None taken."

* * *

><p>This couldn't be right. There was no way-<p>

Except, the way was currently staring her in the face.

She'd finally, after several minutes, forced herself to open the box and pee on the stick; and then had been forced to wait. But now the two minutes were up, and it had to be a joke. Taking a deep breath, she set the stick carefully on the counter and opened another box. Still not fully comfortable with this whole process, she quickly set it back on the box when she finished and set the timer on her phone, before getting up and opening the door.

"So?"

Ziva bit her lip. "False positive."

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Slowly, Ziva nodded. "A false positive?"

"I'm doing another one to make sure."

"Do you want another glass of tea?" She shook her head. "Ziva?"

A sigh escaped her throat, and she forced a smile. "Tea would be... wonderful, Jackie. _Toda_."

The older woman gave her shoulder a squeeze before slipping downstairs to fix a cup of hot tea; once she was gone, Ziva slipped back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her and sinking to the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her head in her arms. One hand moved to her stomach, tracing the fabric of her shirt.

When the timer on her cell went off, she looked up, before slowly climbing to her feet. A groan escaped her throat as she looked at the results, before she set it with the other one and grabbed another box. "Better do it again."

* * *

><p>"Have you and Ziva set a date, Tim?"<p>

The young director sipped his beer, silent. "Not yet. Mom's eager for us to get married, but we'd rather wait a while. And Ziva... she's convinced that we can't have kids until she takes my name, but... it doesn't matter to me whether she takes my name or not. I'll love our kids anyway."

"Are you saying she's-"

"No. I mean... accidents happen, and she's been worried about it for the last several weeks, but no, I don't think so. But then again, I don't really know. Ziva hasn't said."

* * *

><p>"Ziva, honey, you can take the test a hundred times til Sunday, and it's still going to say the same thing. If it says it's positive, it's positive. The result is not going to change in eight tests." The bathroom door opened and Ziva slipped out, looking dejected. "I thought you wanted kids with Tim?"<p>

"I do, but... I wanted them to have his name before they'd be born."

"Tim will love those kids no matter what, Ziva, because he will be their father. Now come on. Let's go tell the boys your good news." Jackie gently pushed her out of the room; by the time they reached the porch, she was blocking the exit so Ziva couldn't flee back into the house.

"Ziva, baby, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She glanced back at Jackie before making her way to her fiance; silently, she perched on Tim's lap, taking his hand and slipping it under her shirt.

"You... wouldn't be opposed to... to getting married in... in a few months would you, Tim?" Tears glistened in her dark eyes- though whether they were of happiness or fear, she didn't know. "Because I'd like to... to marry you before I give birth."


End file.
